City of Moab Thanks Bureau of Land Management for ‘Balanced’ Final Moab Master Leasing Plan

Urges the BLM to implement the strongest plan possible to protect tourism and recreation values on our public lands and rivers while facilitating the responsible development of oil and gas drilling and potash mining.

On January 9, 2017, the City of Moab issue a letter to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) thanking them for the hard work completed in developing the Moab Master Leasing Plan Final Environmental Assessment (FEIS).

The City’s letter noted that “[t]ourism and recreation plays a keystone role in our local economy” and that “recreation on BLM lands alone would generate upwards of $761 million in economic activity over the next 15 years and support over 1,000 jobs.” The Final Moab MLP ensures “healthy public lands and a strong vision toward balance is key for economic future of Moab businesses and the quality of life for Moab’s residents.” In addition to applauding the BLM’s final plan, the City of Moab also praised the agency’s process in incorporating a wide range of stakeholders and including the City every step of the way.

The Moab MLP “benefitted significantly from early collaboration during roundtable discussions hosted by our Mayor with attendance and comments from Grand County, SITLA, the National Park Service and many other stakeholders… Your office should also be commended for continuing dialogue among local stakeholders about how public lands should be managed. The BLM clearly listened to what local stakeholders had to say.”

The City also urged the BLM to “implement the strongest plan possible to protect tourism and recreation values on our public lands and rivers while facilitating the responsible development of oil and gas drilling and potash mining. Accordingly, we believe this FEIS provides the right direction to strike a balance between conservation and development.”